The M+G+R Foundation

On June 24th the Birth of
John the
Baptist is Celebrated

and on

February 24th the Discovery of
the Head of St.
John the Baptizer is Celebrated

DETAILS

St. John, the forerunner of our Lord, was
beheaded by King Herod at the instigation of his wife Herodias. Joanna,
wife of Chuze, Herod's steward (Luke 8:3) recovered John's head and
buried it with honor.

The relic was passed through private
hands until it came to rest, by divine providence, in the care of
Bishop Ouranios of Cappadocia (what is now central Turkey).

In the ninth century it was translated to
Constantinople (what is now Istanbul, Turkey). The finding and
veneration of this precious relic is a testimony to the importance of
St. John, who is revered by Christians and Muslims as father of
ascetics and foremost of the witnesses to Christ.

THE RELICS

The images of the relics, kept amongst
the richest treasures of the Muslim Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, may
be seen by Clicking Here.

Following we have transcribed what
appears on the plaques next to the Relic's Case found
at the
Treasury of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul - Turkey.

Skull

"The skull of St. John the Baptist was originally in the
possession of the Byzantine and fell into Ottoman hands after the
conquest. This relic was presented by Mehmed II (1451-81) to Mara
Despena, daughter of the Serbean King.

Subsequently it became the property of Cezayioli Hasan Pasa and
after his death brought to the palace around 1790."

Arm

"The (right) arm of St. John the Baptist and its case belonged to
the Byzantine prior to the conquest. In 1484, Bayezed II (1481-1512)
sent it as a gift to the knights of Rhodes. It was later discovered in
Lefkose Castle in Cyprus and brought back to Istanbul in 1585"

IN CONCLUSION

The Muslims have greatly revered John the
Baptist for centuries. Why?
His greatest "contribution" was to announce and to prepare the world
for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Think about that....

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